1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for preparing a sleeve such that an air conditioning unit can be safely installed and secured within the sleeve.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Living quarters within a commercial setting, such as a hotel room, a hospital room, a nursing home room, etc., each tend to have separate air conditioning units for controlling the environment within the particular room. Many such air conditioning units are held within a sleeve so that the outer portion of the air conditioning unit is disposed outside of the building wherein the room is located in order to draw working air for the unit, and another portion of the air conditioning unit is disposed within the room so as to control the atmosphere therein. The sleeve is an integral part of the building and is secured thereto. The sleeve has a sleeve wall and a flange, the flange having a front surface, a rear surface, an inner wall, and an outer wall. The sleeve flange can be somewhat flush with the interior wall of the room or can extend outwardly therefrom.
In a new construction building, this system works well such that the securement flange of the air conditioning unit abuts the flange of the sleeve and the securement flange is secured thereto. However, the air conditioning unit must be serviced at regular intervals. In order to service the air conditioning unit, the securement flange of the air conditioning unit is detached from the flange of the sleeve, the air conditioning unit is serviced, and the unit is then placed back within the sleeve and the securement flange of the air conditioning unit is resecured to the flange of the sleeve. While the securement flange of the air conditioning unit is made from a sturdy material that stands up well during repeated unit servicing, the flange of the sleeve deteriorates with repeated servicing of the air conditioning unit. This deterioration of the flange sleeve requires that the owner replace the sleeve at substantial cost to the owner. Alternately, the owner can ignore the problem and can place the air conditioning unit within the sleeve and secure the air conditioning unit therein in less than ideal fashion. Such an air conditioning unit securement can cause the air conditioning unit to become dislodged if a person places weight onto the air conditioning unit resulting in injury to the person or damage to the air conditioning unit, both undesirable results.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method to secure an air conditioning unit within the sleeve of a building irrespective of the fact that the sleeve has deteriorated. Such a method must be relatively simple and straightforward to implement. The method must allow the air conditioning unit to be secure enough so that a person placing weight onto an air conditioning unit secured using the present method does not dislodge the unit from within the sleeve. The method must accommodate air conditioning unit installations wherein the flange of the sleeve is somewhat flush with an interior wall of the room and as well as wherein the flange of the sleeve extends outwardly from the wall.
The method for preparing a sleeve for installation of an air conditioning unit of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art. The method allows an air conditioning unit to be secured within the sleeve of a building even if the flange of the sleeve has deteriorated. The method is relatively simple and straightforward to implement. The method works equally with sleeves that have a flange that is somewhat flush with an interior wall of the room having the sleeve, as well as a room wherein the flange extends outwardly from the wall.
The method for preparing a sleeve for installation of an air conditioning unit of the present invention is comprised of the steps of providing a C-bracket having a first leg, a second leg and a connecting leg connecting the first leg with the second leg. The C-bracket is positioned about the side of the flange such that the first leg abuts the front surface of the flange, and the second leg abuts the rear surface of the flange. A J-bracket having a first extension, a second extension and a joining extension joining the first extension with the second extension is provided. The J-bracket is positioned about the C-bracket such that the first extension of the J-bracket abuts the connecting leg of the C-bracket and the second extension of the J-bracket abuts the outer wall of the flange and is secured to the flange. The first leg of the C-bracket is longer than the second leg. The second extension of the J-bracket is longer than the first extension. The J-bracket is secured to the flange by passing a screw through the second extension and through the flange. Alternately, the J-bracket is positioned against the sleeve wall such that the second extension abuts the sleeve wall and the joining extension abuts the second leg and the J-bracket is secured to the flange by passing a screw through the second extension and through the sleeve wall. As a further alternative, the J-bracket is positioned about the C-bracket such that the second extension abuts the connecting leg and the first extension abuts the outer wall and the second extension is bent toward the second leg in order to provide frictional securement.